Let me Save You
by Sportafan
Summary: Stephanie has grown into an independent young woman. After being rescued once more by Sportacus, demands him to stop saving her. However, she soon finds out how much she really does need him… Oneshot, SportacusStephanie


**Title:** Let me Save You  
**Author:** Becca  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** One-shot Sportacus/Stephanie fic. Stephanie has grown into an independent young woman. She is determined to help herself and, after being rescued once more by Sportacus, demands him to stop saving her. However, she soon finds out how much she really does need him…  
**Author's Notes:** Ugh, I need to stop making sappy romance fics. After a while, they become redundant. Not very original; has many of the same themes as my other fics have in the past. Still, it's sweet. Sorry if you're sick of the mushy-ness, though. Enjoy anyway!

(Disclaimer: Although Disney movies say your dreams always come true, my dream of owning even a little something of LazyTown hasn't happened yet. Everything in this story ('cept the plot) belongs to Magnus Scheving and whoever else has legal rights to it. So no suing, 'k? )

Spring was Stephanie's favorite season. She loved _everything_ about it. She loved how the dreary, gray clouds faded away to a perfect robin's egg blue sky. How the sun's rays reached out and warmed her, a feeling that was almost non-existent during the winter. How the drifts of snow disappeared overnight, leaving slushy puddles behind. How suddenly the whole world seemed to come alive and rejoice, celebrating the arrival of the new season.

Stephanie herself seemed to wake from some deep sleep that had fallen over her during the winter. It was as if she had some well of energy inside of her that always stayed full. If she wasn't outside doing something active, or at least fulfilling, she felt uncomfortable, like she would just _explode_ if she didn't get up and _move_.

_It's strange,_ she thought to herself one particularly sunny afternoon, as she kneeled in her garden, her hands carefully working the weeds that had taken over out of the soil. _I'm really no different than I was fourteen years ago._

Fourteen years… Had it really been that long ago when she had first visited LazyTown? She made a quick calculation in her head, then nodded. Yes, that was right.

_I'm old!_ was her next thought. She grinned and shook her head. _No, just grown up._

Which was the truth. Although she still retained her child-like qualities, such as her endless reservoir of energy, she had matured quite a lot. Her brilliant pink hair had faded into a much lighter shade and she now wore it in a loose ponytail that trailed down her back and curled slightly at the ends. She was tall and lithe, still able to perform the dance moves from when she was younger. Graceful and beautiful was the kind of woman she had grown into.

And head-strong.

She was a bit unsure as to when _that_ quality had shown up. She had always been optimistic, but had been ready to ask for help if she needed it.

Now, she was confident that she could manage anything on her own, and Lord help anyone who got in her way.

_Sportacus…_ Stephanie thought absently as she tugged out a dandelion from the earth.

She knew it was so hard for him to respect her decision of independence. After all, it _was_ his job to save the citizens of LazyTown.

_But I'm not a little girl anymore,_ she thought vehemently. _I don't need him anymore._

Something stirred in her heart, but Stephanie couldn't place it. It probably didn't matter.

With a sigh, she rose and brushed her fingers as best as she could.

"Tulips," she decided, surveying the cleared out patch she had just finished. "Tulips would be perfect."

-----

It was a very difficult decision. One that Stephanie mulled over for a good amount of time, earning plenty of confused stares from the employees.

In the end, she picked the common but still very beautiful red tulips, as well as yellow-orange ones. She decided that she would return later in the week for white ones, provided she hadn't spent all of her money on other flowers before then.

On her way home from the store, Stephanie's heart felt light. The idea of a flourishing garden excited her and she was soon skipping, unable to stop the elated smile that appeared.

Later on, she realized she _had_ seen the slick patch of ice. It just hadn't clicked in her mind. After all, every sign of winter should have disappeared by then, and it was only once she came into contact with it that she realized the warmth of the sun had, in fact, _not_ dried up everything.

The bulbs flew out of her hand and landed a few feet away. For a split second, Stephanie was certain she was about to experience the worst pain she'd ever felt in her life; concrete and spinal cords surely did not mix.

But the pain never came. Sportacus had saved the day once again, performing one of his spectacular flips before catching her easily.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he set her gently back on her feet.

Stephanie stared at him for a moment. _He saved me,_ she thought, at first a bit relieved. That didn't last long, however. _Again! Why does he always do this? _

Rage bubbled forth and she glowered at him. "I'm fine," she said coldly.

Sportacus was reaching for the tulip bulbs, but Stephanie bent down and snatched them before he could.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Stephanie snapped back. "But… _Could you stop saving me?_"

The question obviously took Sportacus by surprise. His eyebrows knitted together. "What?" he asked, obviously thinking he had misheard her.

"_Stop saving me!" _Stephanie repeated, her voice becoming louder. "You _always_ save me! I'm so sick of feeling like I need to rely on you for _everything._"

"But I'm not trying—" Sportacus started.

Stephanie cut him off, her anger building up as she spoke. "I have to learn how to do things on my own! _You won't always be there for me when I need help!_"

She took a deep breath and counted slowly to ten. "I'm sorry, Sportacus. I know you just want to help, but, just leave me alone."

She stalked off, her anger smoldering inside of her.

Sportacus watched her receding form and whispered softly, "But I want to be there for you…"

-----

Stephanie bit her lip as she pushed a heap of dirt over the final bulb. It wasn't from concentration; planting bulbs took none. She was holding back the overwhelming sadness that she had felt ever since she'd returned home.

Once she had started planting her new flowers, her anger at Sportacus had completely dissipated and she was left feeling guilty.

And very empty.

A few tears fell, watering the newly planted bulbs. Stephanie wiped them away quickly but more took their place.

The earth below her was soon damp and her last thought before hastily retreating into her house was one of concern that maybe saltwater would bring harm to the plants.

Sportacus wasn't sure what to do. He wanted very badly to go to Stephanie, though whether to apologize or to see if _she_ would ask forgiveness, he didn't know.

What he _did_ know was that he was very concerned for her. And slightly upset with himself. He _had_ known she was going through an independent phase. He should have just let her be until it had passed.

_And let her get injured?_

No, he would not stand by and watch the woman that he…

Sportacus blinked. Woman that he… what?

He hadn't thought much about his feelings. After all, they weren't very important to his job. He had to save _anyone_ regardless of how he felt towards them.

But now that he thought about it, he realized that he felt something _more_ for Stephanie than for any other citizen of LazyTown.

_Love, _he finally decided, positive that that was the emotion he'd kept hidden all this time, even from himself.

He loved her.

With that in mind, Sportacus knew that he had to go to her, even if she did hate him.

-----

Stephanie was lying face down on her bed when the doorbell rang. She had absolutely no interest in answering it and continued to lie still. Maybe they would go away if she didn't come.

The knock came again, much more persistent this time.

With a groan, Stephanie sat up and walked slowly towards the front door. She opened it.

Sportacus was standing on her porch, looking a bit dazed.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Sportacus started speaking first.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I realize how self-reliant you've become. It was wrong for me to rescue you."

Stephanie blinked. She hadn't expected him to _apologize_. Rescuing people was what he did. He couldn't say he was sorry for doing his job.

"No, Sportacus, it was my fault," Stephanie said quietly. "I snapped. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry."

They stood in awkward silence until Sportacus said softly, "You know, I really do want to be there for you."

Stephanie looked up at him. "I know. That's why you're here in LazyTown."

"No, that's not it."

His reply surprised Stephanie.

"Even if I wasn't the superhero of LazyTown, I still wouldn't want any harm to come to you."

That _really_ surprised Stephanie. "Wh… What?"

Sportacus gave a short, nervous laugh. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I love you Stephanie."

Her eyes widened. Never in a million years would she have guessed that. She had secretly harbored a crush for Sportacus ever since she had reached puberty and had started noticing guys more. Over the years, it had grown to more of an actual feeling rather than a teenage crush. She had thought she had buried it away, thinking that Sportacus could never return it.

And now he did.

Elation. Stephanie was completely overjoyed. Her heart felt ready to burst as she gazed at Sportacus, her mouth slowly forming a smile.

"I love you, too, Sportacus," she said.

Sportacus gave her a shy smile of his own and opened his arms. She walked into them and as they circled around her slim shoulders, she felt secure. And loved.

And she knew deep in her heart she never had to worry about saving herself again.


End file.
